I am Second® - Lilly goodman

I hear it all the time... that you have called me into music ♪ I look back and see where I started ♪ but I don't feel capable. I am scared. ♪ how your hand ♪ ♪ brought me here. ♪ I would say, "I can't do that. I won't even last a year". I grew up in the city of Santo Domingo, in a Christian family, going to church since I can remember. At church they called us "the family that sings". Music was like a part of our lifestyle. Even though at home, my family, and at church everyone said, "What a beautiful voice!" I didn't feel it was a unique voice, or that it had something special. And well, little by little people started noticing that there was a little girl, in a small church that had a voice, and they began calling me "the little one with the big voice". I remember I had arguments with my mom... because of that. Because I would say, "If you want to sing, you sing, but I don't want to sing. I don't like to be seen. I don't want to be in front of people." And she would always say, "But you do it well. God has a special purpose for you and every time you sing..." she would say, "people receive something special". "Don't you see how people cry? Don't you see how people feel?" From a very early age my mom began planting that in me and giving me that assurance that not only did I have a beautiful talent, but that it was... something different, something that was not simple and common like I thought. And I would always say, "I don't want to sing because... because I know how to, I want to do it because... because there is a deeper purpose behind it", and that was my doubt. The strong personality that I had... or have, actually, I call it strong because I am very clear in what I want, I have always been, from a very early age. If I don't like something, I will always say so, "I don't like it. I don't agree." I have never stayed quiet or have allowed myself to be stepped on by someone out of fear. The musical arena is an industry that brings many challenges daily, and if your feet are not firmly planted in God, if you don't have a strong personality, if your character is not defined well it's very probable that many things will not turn out right. Sometimes, as a... as a young woman starting out in music, and when you have a talent that represents money to many people that do not have their heart right, you know? Many want to take advantage. Some see you as the out to their problems or the solution to their economic problems. Many years ago... I remember an instance, a person... wanted to work with me, wanted to do projects with me but didn't do things the right way, he didn't contract me the right way, but instead he went and used means that were not appropriate to take control of my first project. And I remember that I told him, "Well honestly, I am not interested, I don't want to work with you... continue working with you in this way, or anything". And this person told me, "Okay, then I am going to bury your career, and you are just now getting started". It was a person known for doing that, and I remember, I looked them in the eyes and said, "You know what? I am not interested and my answer is no". When I allowed the Holy Spirit to take control of that, well today I say that God placed in me attributes that are perfect and right in order for me to fulfill the calling that He gave me. And it is something that I always advise, that we put our trust in God, that we find our identity in Him. And when we know who we are, when we know our value and Who has created us and how He has created us, there is nothing that can intimidate us, much less a person that may want to come and cause harm. ♪ Sincerely I can not comprehend how I have achieved ♪ ♪ standing for so long ♪ ♪ and I have not grown faint. ♪ God is not focused on if you are the most beautiful, if you are the skinniest, if you are the most attractive, if you are the tallest. We were all created with a purpose and we all have valuable qualities. And I think of David. He wasn't in the battle with his brothers. He was cleaning... fighting with animals... and perhaps David didn't know the purpose there was for his life. And in those times of anonymity in the flock, fighting with sheep... with animals... God was simply preparing him and was looking to take him towards the destiny that was prepared for him, and... I think of me, right, as that little girl shy, insecure about her... about her talents and her calling, and God looking at me and saying, "If she is in My hands, I can do extraordinary things with her". I didn't want to be in music, I would say it wasn't for me, I said I wasn't capable. I would say, "I don't have the connections". "Who is going to connect me? I don't know anyone". And God is who raised me up and brought me to where I am. So then, if He has done all these marvelous things, if He is the one that brought me out of... that little corner where he took me out of, from the place he took me out of, then why would I fear what someone says? One of the easiest ways to fail is to postpone and not do things. We have to do it even if it is with fear, even if we are shaking, because that is the way to overcome it, it is the only way to overcome fear. ♪ Where do I go? ♪ ♪ Yes God, ♪ ♪ You are my portion. ♪ ♪ You are my God. ♪ I am Lilly Goodman and I Am Second. [I AM SECOND]